The Story of 5SOS, Roland, and BOSS

5 Seconds of Summer on stage with the Waza Amps during the 5SOS3 tour. Photo: Andy Deluca

I’ll be the first to admit that when I first heard of 5 Seconds of Summer it was because of my niece Kayla. At the time, she was starting to get the hang of playing guitar and she said, “There’s this cool band called 5 Seconds of Summer, you should check them out.” I said, “Okay, but didn’t they open for One Direction?” She proudly said, “Yes,” and played a few songs.

Discover the Many Benefits of the Versatile New Portable Recorder from Roland

Compact and convenient, the Roland R-07 allows you to capture high-quality audio just about anywhere.

All of today’s smartphones have the ability to capture audio recordings on the go, and they’re convenient to use because they’re always with us. But if you’re serious about getting the best results, your phone is often not the best choice. While the built-in mono mic is okay for simple dictation and quick capture, it simply can’t deliver professional quality for music, interviews, and other situations where sound is important. Of course, you can buy add-on mics and other peripherals, but now you have to deal with a setup that’s messy and awkward to manage. And what do you do when you get a call or text in the middle of recording?

With the new Roland R-07 portable recorder, you get everything you need and more in a dedicated, affordable device that’s small, robust, and easy to operate. This makes it perfect for musicians, songwriters, sound designers, journalists, and anyone who needs to capture great audio wherever they travel. Read on to discover six great reasons why the R-07 is your best choice for on-the-go recording.

High-Resolution Mobile Recording for Mac, Windows, and iPad

With their high-fidelity sound, compact size, and affordable prices, Roland’s Rubix audio interfaces are a perfect fit for today’s on-the-go musicians and producers. Three different models provide audio I/O configurations to suit a variety of needs, and all support high-resolution recording at rates up to 24-bit/192 kHz. MIDI I/O is also included, and near-universal USB support provides seamless integration with Mac and Windows computers. Rubix interfaces can also be used with Apple iPads, allowing you to create a pro music production and performance rig with amazing sound and unmatched portability.

The Easy Way to Capture High-Quality Sound as You Perform

Roland GO:MIXER.

With the fantastic video quality of today’s smartphones, it’s never been easier to capture music performances and other content. However, recording a quality audio soundtrack along with your video has always required a lot of extra work…until now. With Roland’s cool new GO:MIXER, you can connect a mic and instruments, mix them live, and record crystal clear sound to your video in real time.

We introduced GO:MIXER at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, and it caused quite a buzz, winning multiple “Best of CES” awards at the show. This handy tool makes it so much easier to generate great content quickly—read on to learn more.

New Solutions Launched at the 2017 Winter NAMM Show

Roland’s leading lineup of music accessories continues to grow, with many new solutions introduced at the 2017 Winter NAMM Show, the yearly gear explosion in Anaheim, California. To start, we’ve launched a wide range of piano benches to complement our award-winning home and stage pianos. In addition, our professional cable lineup has expanded, and lots of new clip-light models are available as well. We also have new road case models, including many rackmount cases, plus some new top-quality drum thrones. Read on to learn about these great Roland accessories, plus many others.

New Premium Accessories Launched on #909day

As part of “The Future. Redefined.”, Roland’s 24-hour online music festival streamed on September 9, 2016 (#909day), we unveiled more than 30 new products. Included among them were many great additions to the Roland and BOSS lineups of premium music accessories. Models were added to current categories, and a number of all-new product categories were introduced, such as drum thrones, keyboard road cases, and more. Built to the famous Roland and BOSS standard of quality and durability, these latest accessories reflect our dedication to provide top-level accessories for all types of musicians, producers, engineers, and hobbyists.

Choosing the Best Synth for the Gig

In Synth Bass for Bass Players, Part 1, we talked about how doubling on synth bass can increase your opportunities to land more work in today’s music scene. We also outlined some of the important features to look for when choosing a keyboard for playing synth bass. This time, we’ll take a closer look at some Roland synths that are ideal for the job.

A Powerful Tone Enhancer and DI for Bassists

With the new BB-1X Bass Driver, improving your bass tone has never been easier. Far more than a typical stompbox, the BB-1X incorporates powerful BOSS technology to make your sound big, bold, and punchy. It functions much like a preamp, allowing you shape your tone without altering the fundamental core elements of your bass and amp sounds. The BB-1X also includes a uniquely tuned DI output that ensures the FOH engineer gets a great sound for delivering your personal tone to the main PA.

Increase Your Versatility and Get More Gigs

In today’s music world, the vast influence of EDM and other electronic styles has crept into the fabric of nearly every popular genre. The core of EDM is a driving rhythm groove, with the low end held down by synthesizer bass. To cover this essential sound, traditional bass players are now called upon more and more to double on keyboard both live and in the studio. If you’re a bassist who’s looking to increase your musical versatility and gigging opportunities, read on to find out the things you should know when getting into synth bass.

Interview with Robert “Bubby” Lewis

Robert “Bubby” Lewis has played bass for some of the biggest names in today’s music and is currently working on his first solo record 1UP. Instead of going through the usual channels dealing with record labels and publishers to get funding for his new record, Bubby decided to use Kickstarter to help raise funds for recording and mastering. We asked Bubby how well Kickstarter was working out to fund his solo album and what advice he had for other musicians who might be considering doing their own Kickstarter campaign. More